Etymologically
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medal

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 02:57. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈmed.əl/[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Middle French médaille, from Italian medaglia (“medal”).[2][3][4] The origin of the Italian word is disputed.[2] Barnhart, Klein and Watkins take medaglia to have meant first a coin worth half a denarius, from Vulgar Latin *medālia, from mediālia (“little halves”), the neuter plural of mediālis (“of the middle”);[2][3][5][6] the OED and Hoad derive it instead from Vulgar Latin *metallea “metal (coin)”, from Latin metallum “metal”.[2][4] Barnhart argues that the sense “coin” and the Latin forms favour the first explanation.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

A metal disc with a figure or inscription, used as a charm or trinket: before 1586, in Sidney's writings.[3][7]

Semantic evolution

A piece of metal struck to commemorate a person or event is from 1611 in the OED, the 1610s in Etymonline.[7][2] There was little difference in appearance between a coin and a medal.[6] A medal given as a reward for merit is from 1751.[7] The verb, to decorate with a medal, is from 1822 in the OED and 1857 in Etymonline,[7][2] and to win a medal in sport from 1967.[2] Medallion, at first a large medal, is from the mid-17th century.[6]

Timeline

  • before 1586 – a charm or trinket.[3]
  • 1611 – a commemorative medal.[7]
  • 1751 – a reward for merit.[7]
  • 1822 – the verb, to decorate.[7]
  • 1967 – to win a medal.[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A flat piece of metal with a design or words on it, given as an award or to remember an event or person.
  2. A similar piece of metal with a religious image.

Verb

  1. (sport, informal) To win a medal.
  2. To honour with a medal.

Word family

  • medallic
  • medalist
  • bronze medal
  • gold medal
  • silver medal
  • medal play
  • medalet
  • medallion
  • medallist
  • medial
  • metal

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  4. ^ a b Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press